


From the Inbetween

by strmlng



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-07-28 13:50:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7643059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strmlng/pseuds/strmlng
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin's beard. He'd literally scared himself into asking Draco Malfoy out. Which was ironically one of the things that scared him most.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Harry sighed. He raised his fist and tried to be brave when he knocked on the doorframe.

“Yes, Potter?” came the familiar voice. Harry stepped into the small, but tidy office and stood carefully in the middle of the carpet. Clearing his throat, he raised his eyes to to man behind the desk. “Um, I wanted to check in on the Jerikson case and if there were any… um any developments?”

He got a raised eyebrow in return.

“Potter, you gave me the case files four hours ago. While your opinion of my intellectual prowess is flattering, the unfortunately reality is that the potions analysis can take days,” Draco Malfoy said quietly with a ghost of a smirk.

Feeling his face flame, Harry tried to regroup as he shifted awkwardly and shot back, “Yes, Malfoy, I’m aware. But just thought I’d stop by and see how it was going or if you had any questions.”

Malfoy’s smirk grew to a small smile. Harry felt his stomach swoop at the rare sight.

“Trust me, Potter. If I need anything, you will definitely hear about it.”

“Okay. You can send a memo or stop by my office.”

“Actually, there was something I needed -”

“What?” Harry tried not to ask too eagerly.

“Could you grab me some tea? Bit of milk, 2 sugars?”

Harry turned and left to the sound of Malfoy’s soft chuckle.

 

* * *

 

The thing was Harry thought about kissing Malfoy a lot. Too much. So much that it was a head-to-desk situation. Or a head-to-bar situation at the moment.

“Mate,” Ron said sympathetically as he placed a pint by Harry’s elbow. They sat in companionable silence sipping their drinks. Harry’s mind keep whirling with his stop at Malfoy’s office earlier. Malfoy had smiled! And joked! And laughed! Not that Malfoy was usually cold or aloof, but he was reserved and polite. Harry liked to think that since they had first worked together on a case two years ago that Malfoy had warmed to him a bit. There’d be glimpses of a smile. And occasional banter when parts of Malfoy’s previous snarky self would reappear, but with a tempered and clever edge that Harry couldn’t help find charming as they'd volley back and forth. But Malfoy’s small laugh, even if the joke was at Harry’s expense, felt precious.

“Harry,” Ron sighed. “Please end your misery and ask him out. And by your misery, I mean me and Hermione’s misery.”

“I quite like my bollocks where they are, thanks very much.”

“Well,” Ron grimaced. “I know, mate. But you need to at least ask him so you can get an answer. Or you move on.”

“But I don’t want to.”

Ron laughed grimly. “Oh, I’ve been there.”

 

* * *

 

Harry and Malfoy were working late in one of the MLE conference rooms. Outer robes had long been discarded as frustrated hands ran through steadily unruly hair and yawns were hopelessly stifled.

Despite his exhaustion and assured that he'd soon be blind from pouring over the same parchment spreadsheets repeatedly, Harry was elated - delight drawn from the adrenaline of the late night that had been long, but brought them close to finally closing the case. And delight that it was just him and Malfoy. Seeing Malfoy slightly rumpled more than his usually pristine self gave Harry a lovely, squirmy thrill. With his hair falling over his eyes and his sleeves rolled up, revealing the faded Mark, Malfoy looked softly vulnerable in a way Harry, and doubtless everyone else, rarely had the privilege of witnessing. Harry's heart thumped loudly when Malfoy stretched his back with his arms overhead.

"Potter... Potter!"

Harry jerked to attention. Nonsense garbled out of his mouth. "Herrg?"

Malfoy blinked before revealing his signature, gentle smirk. "Eloquent. The late night must be getting to your head." Before Harry could protest, Malfoy continued, "It's certainly getting to mine. I think it's best that we sleep on everything and come back to it tomorrow."

"Oh okay," Harry replied dumbly and tried to hide his disappointment. Malfoy gave him a curious glance before waving his wand so that all their strewn parchments and quills flew back into their respective boxes. They grabbed their robes and briefcases and headed to the lifts. Before they were about to Apparate to each of their own homes, Malfoy turned to Harry and opened his mouth after a moment of hesitation.

"Thanks for you help Potter - the work goes faster when you have company."

Harry was momentarily surprised by Malfoy's offer of affection. Although, was it affection? Surely it was more than collegial acceptance? But with Malfoy being more guarded than the average person, who knew what his range was for interpersonal disclosures? Harry, aware his mind was about to dive into a never-ending cycle of considering all possible meaning behind Malfoy's words, attempted to pull himself back to the present moment only to realize that Draco was now looking at him confused. Because he had spent so much time analyzing Malfoy's facial expressions, Harry also recognized the wary nervousness in his gaze. Again, the evidence of Malfoy's vulnerability squeezed Harry's chest and before he knew it, he blurted, "Would you like to have dinner together tomorrow night?"

Merlin's beard. He'd literally scared himself into asking Malfoy out. Which was ironically one of the things that scared him most.

Malfoy blinked in surprise and considered Harry, who tried not to fidget. After what felt like forever, Draco opened his mouth and said slowly. "Sure, Potter."

Stunned (again) and in disbelief, Harry yammered, "Oh. Great! Meet around 7 tomorrow?"

"Okay." Malfoy continued to look at him strangely, as if Harry were an odd puzzle he hadn't yet solved. Harry pushed the thought aside in wake of his amazement and now incredibly nerve-wracked jubilation.

"Alright, I'll see you then! Good night, Draco!" Harry turned to Apparate before he could make a bigger fool out of himself. It wasn't until he was brushing his teeth that he realized that had been the first time he'd called Malfoy by first name. 


	2. Chapter 2

Harry actually wasn’t nervous. Well, not too nervous. Armed with Draco’s acceptance of his dinner offer, he was more excited than anxious – excited at the chance to finally see how this could go. 

They were meeting at the lifts. Harry had just arrived when he saw Draco approaching. Harry smiled at him.

“Hi!”

“Hi, Potter,” Draco replied quietly, again looking quietly amused by Harry’s enthusiasm.

“Um, shall we?” Harry asked, gesturing towards the lift. Draco nodded and Harry followed him into open lift.

  

* * *

 

Dinner was great. It was fantastic. Draco was quieter while Harry more talkative per usual, but the atmosphere was intimate, the food delicious, and the conversation flowing. Harry would ramble and Draco would offer his two cents here and there, but when he wasn’t speaking, he was quietly engaged, reacting to Harry’s words. 

As Harry paid (much to Draco’s protests), he asked carefully, “Do you want to come back to my place for a cuppa?”

Draco blinked and responded with just as much care, “Sure.”

They Apparated to Harry’s flat (he thanked Merlin it was relatively clean). Seeing Draco stand, albeit awkwardly, amongst Harry’s things made him feel loopily warm inside. Before he let himself bask too long at the sight, he cleared his throat and told Draco to make himself comfortable while he prepared tea. 

He clambered around in the kitchen and returned to Draco, who was looking at the pictures on the bookcase. They were photos of Harry’s parents dancing, Teddy with ever-changing hair, and Harry with Hugo and Rose.

“Here,” Harry said softly as he approached Draco and held out a cup of tea.

“Thanks,” Draco replied just as quietly. When he took the steaming mug, he lowered his gaze from the photos to the cup. Harry gnawed on his lip in a bit of hesitation wondering what his next move should be.

“Do you want to sit?” he finally suggested. Draco gave a small nod and followed Harry to the worn couch. He settled about a foot away from Harry, which simultaneously felt like too much and not enough space. It made Harry antsy.

“So um do you have any other plans for the weekend?” Harry asked, slightly at a loss of how to proceed now that they were in this moment. A moment he’d fantasized about for the past year yet found himself suddenly drawing a blank. 

“I’m seeing my parents for dinner on Sunday. Blaise and I might meet up too.”

Harry nodded. “I’m taking Bill and Fleur’s second, Dominique, flying. She wants to be a Chaser one day.

“Another Weasley taking the Quidditch route? I guess the Cannons can use all the help they can get.”

“Hey!” exclaimed Harry playfully as Draco smirked into his tea.

“Old habits die hard, Potter.”

Harry smiled. “Well, some do,” he said earnestly.

Draco startled, seemingly both at the sincerity of Harry’s tone and the words themselves. He still avoided Harry’s gaze.

“I’ve been trying,” he murmured.

Harry’s heart swelled. And he found that he suddenly could not help himself. He put his cup on the side table and reached for Draco, his hand falling gently on Draco’s shoulder. Draco looked up in surprise and turned his face towards Harry’s, a question on the tip of his mouth. Not wanting the moment to break, Harry leaned in and pressed his lips softly to Draco’s.

Draco’s lips were warm from the tea. Harry registered the heat, the stillness, and the pounding of his own heart. Before he could sink further in, Draco pulled away. His wide eyes only reflected shock.

“What are you doing, Potter?”

The utter confusion in Draco’s words was like a cold grip freezing Harry’s insides.

“What– what do you mean?” he stuttered.

“I mean, Potter, why are you kissing me?”

“I thought– well, I hoped that was where this was going?” Harry tried.

“Where what was going?” asked Draco, his brow furrowed.

“Our date.”

Draco’s eyebrows shot up.

“Our date?” he said slowly.

Now Harry was confused. “Yes, this was a date…?”

Draco broke eye contact and leaned forward, templing his hands. “I wasn’t aware this was a date.” 

Harry flushed with embarrassment, feeling his heart - previously elated at how the evening had gone - crumble. “That’s what I meant when I asked you to dinner…? I thought you knew that,” he said.

HIs words met silence. Draco remained staring at the opposite wall in apparent deep thought and confusion. Harry fingered the edge of one of sleeves as his discomfort increased exponentially with each passing second.

Finally, without moving, Draco ask, “You are attracted to me?” If Harry hadn’t been so desperately waiting for Draco to say something, he would have missed the tiny hint of disbelief and uncertainty in Draco’s voice.

“Yes. Um yes, I have been for a long time,” Harry said at first. Then he figured he might as well go all in. “But I’m more than just attracted to you. I mean, you’re bloody handsome, but you’re smart, brilliant at your job and I love working on cases with you. And I like your sense of humor, even if it’s at my expense, which is most of the time. And I admire you for working to become the man you are after everything you’ve been through. You’re incredible and lovely and I want to spend time with you, talk about everything there is to talk about, see what we could be together. Because I’ve thought about this a long time and I think it could be really good. I want to… to try with you. If- if you’re interested.” 

As Harry had rambled, Draco had slowly turned to look at him. His face reflected blank disbelief. When Harry finished, Draco blinked and then turned back away. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes.

Harry trembled, wondering if he had gone too far, had laid all his cards out bare only for them to be swept away by Draco’s next words. He couldn’t believe how this had all mucked out, that he hadn’t made it clear to Draco that this was a _date_ and that they’d been operating under different impressions from the start.

Finally, Draco stood and Harry felt his stomach drop.

“I’m sorry, Potter,” he said quietly, still avoiding eye contact. Harry stood too, fearful at Draco’s words.

“I’m sorry,” Draco repeated. “I didn’t realize this was a date, even though that’s what you intended. I didn’t know you- you liked me like that. I’m sorry if I led you on, even though it was accidentally.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Harry whispered. “I wasn’t clear, obviously –”

“I had no idea you saw me… like you described,” Draco interrupted, as if Harry hadn’t spoken. “With who I am and what I’ve done, I never expected...” he trailed off, a touch of vulnerability creeping into his tone. “I think it’s best if I go for now. I- I just need some time to think.”

“Okay,” said Harry, hoarsely. “I’ll um see you back at the office, then?” He asked, uncertainly.

  
“Yes, yes, see you then,” Draco replied distractedly as he picked up his coat and looked around to the door. He strode over briskly before pausing as he grabbed the handle. “Goodnight, Potter,” he said quietly, barely looking over his shoulder back at Harry. “Thank you for dinner.” And then he strode out, closing the door behind him. The sudden crack of him Disapparating hit the air like a whip and Harry jolted, rubbing his chest as if it would help ease the ache throbbing there.


End file.
